Winds of change

With Nintendo launching its WiiWare online service in Australia this week, Screen Play has put together a quick update on digital distribution for new Fairfax youth portal The Vine.

Regardless of whether you are a console or PC gamer, there is now an appetising smorgasbord of tasty treats ready for download straight to your machine. And pleasingly, digital distribution is encouraging some developers to innovate.

One of the first games available for download via WiiWare, Lost Winds from David Braben's Frontier Developments, is validation that digital distribution can encourage games developers to experiment with new ideas.

Lost Winds is exactly the kind of quirky concept that many publishers would consider too offbeat to release as a full-priced boxed product. But at the bargain price of $15, it is a must-buy for Wii owners, even if it is a joy that is sadly short-lived.

The game greatly enlivens platform-jumping and puzzle solving antics by letting players
harness the power of the wind using the Wii Remote. "Drawing" a gust under our young hero Toku can help him leap over a large precipice or access otherwise unreachable heights.

As players progress they will discover novel new capabilities like being able to lift objects to smash them against obstacles or move them onto pressure pads, as well as directing flames to burn wooden objects or blowing water onto useful plants to help make them grow.

You can also deal with enemies by lifting the hapless mites and then hurling them down to the ground.

Even tinkering with the background scenery or nearby villagers is fun just to see how they react to a passing zephyr.

The controls are intuitive and accessible, leaving you to concentrate on solving the delightful puzzles, which don't prove much of a challenge but remain satisfying and enjoyable. While many platform games can aggravate, Lost Winds feels relaxing and leisurely paced, assisted in no small way by the charming presentation.

Like a cool breeze on a summer's day, Lost Winds is a refreshing surprise. Let us hope that its deserved success encourages many other innovative low-budget games from both established and emerging independent developers.

I also wanted to champion another low-priced download today - Bishi Bashi Special on the PlayStation Network. Originally released a decade ago on PSone, it is the kind of little-known gem that deserves a second chance at a bargain basement price, and can be enjoyed on the PS3 or transferred to PSP.

It's a hilarious four-player party game from Konami with 85 mini-games. Get a few mates together and you won't be able to stop playing or laughing.

Even when playing alone, Bishi Bashi is amusing, with players able to battle computer-controlled opponents or against the clock.

One memorable game sees you controlling a bride, running away from the altar with a wedding cake in hand, with your groom hurtling along behind you holding your dress up.

Like a Track and Field event, you then have to stop running (bashing the buttons) before you get to the guests and hurl the cake at the right trajectory to clear as many rows as you can.

Screen Play cleared 25 pews before the cake smacked a wedding guest in the head. At this point the rest of the guests rose to their feet and politely applauded.

Other games see players assembling rockets to create manga robots, shake soft drink cans until they explode, and there's a hysterical climbing race up a building with the chance to sit on a golden toilet as your reward.

Bishi Bashi also contains plenty of Beatmania-style music games, including "Perm Mania" where your funky moves are rewarded by an ever-expanding afro, and a Guitar Freaks clone where you use the analog sticks to play your axe to the music. A frantic contest where you have to play piano keys is hilarious against a friend.

Each game is very simple, so even gaming novices can join in the fun. Don't miss it, you simply won't find a better game featuring girls dressed as eggplants.

Posted
by Jason HillMay 22, 2008 9:14 AM

LATEST COMMENTS

I had a look last night at the shooping channel, and to be honest nothing impressed me.

Posted by: muzza the legend on May 22, 2008 9:24 AM

Good to hear WiiWare is off to a promising start. Must check it out. $15 is the price of a movie ticket, so if it entertains me for a similiar amount of time, a few hours, that's good enough for me.

Although, should we also point out that its US$10, which today is something like AU$10.50?

Posted by: Kermit on May 22, 2008 10:20 AM

They were talking about Lost Winds on the latest Gamers With Jobs podcast and it sounds pretty good.

Alas, with my now limited gaming time I barely have enough time for retail games let alone downloadables. I haven't brought anything from Live Arcade since Puzzle Quest was released.

Posted by: Awesome Wells on May 22, 2008 10:37 AM

Speaking of awesome downloadable games, check out N+.

I hear it's on teh intarwebs somewhere (apparently this version is only called N, not N+) but I've only played the XBLA version, and been caught so strongly that never mind the hook line OR sinker, I'm chewing on the damned rod.

Posted by: Dark Wolfe on May 22, 2008 12:04 PM

I'm content with Dr Mario, it has never been more fun.

Posted by: Marttin on May 22, 2008 12:21 PM

Speaking of downloadable games, has anyone played Penny Arcade's On The Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness? (http://www.playgreenhouse.com/featuredGame)

The trailer looks interesting. I haven't had time to try out the demo though.

Posted by: Misty on May 22, 2008 12:59 PM

I didn't know it was out! Definitely downloading the demo tonight.

Posted by: DexX on May 22, 2008 2:17 PM

@ Misty,

Really looking forward to that one. I think I'll bypass the demo and go straight to the full version, though - I love the Penny Arcade lads dearly.

Posted by: Lith on May 22, 2008 2:28 PM

Dear Frontier Developments,

Thanks for this, here, have my $ in exchange.

See you for ep 2.

Cheers

Posted by: death to nerds on May 22, 2008 2:32 PM

It only just hit today I think, either today or tomorrow. Damn Timezones. I'll probably grab it anyway just for the Tycho written dialogue.

Posted by: Anthony on May 22, 2008 3:04 PM

@ Kermit

I believe it is a few dollars more expensive in Australia because Nintendo are having to pay for the freight and import duties of that digital content into the country. I mean, how could the government possibly charge any distributor for importing digital content. Outrageous I say. Just look at the Orange Box on Steam, another prime example of the government forcing up the price of digital content through the myriad number of duties and other charges and a non physical object. Again, outrageous. How are distributors supposed to offer us comparative prices with all the restrictions imposed upon them.

Posted by: Smoolander on May 22, 2008 5:49 PM

@ death to nerds

I am already eagerly anticipating episode 2, after finishing episode 1 twice this week. Penny Arcade has a unique sense of humour - I love how the garden rake is your main weapon, for example.